Frequently Asked Questions
CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE
Chinese herbal medicine is the oldest and most comprehensive form of herbal medicine in the world. Along with acupuncture, it is a main component of traditional Chinese medicine.
Herbal treatments are most commonly combined with acupuncture treatments to accelerate and maintain the therapeutic effects of the treatment. Furthermore, Chinese herbal medicine may be
used to treat conditions that are not as effectively treated by acupuncture.
Decoctions
Decoctions are one of the major traditional methods for administering herbs. A customized herbal formula prescription is written for each individual patient. A typical herbal formula consists of
6 to 20 individual herbs, depending on particular condition being treated and the patient's constitution. The patient can cook these herbs in water to extract the active ingredients and then removes
the cooked herbs by straining the liquid (decoction). This decoction is then drunk as a tea or soup, 2 to 3 times per day.
The main advantage of decoctions are that they are the most potent way to take an herbal formula. The desired clinical result is usually achieved much quicker than it is with other methods.
Another important advantage of decoctions is that the herbal formula can be customized and tailored to the needs of each individual patient. The practitioner can increase or decrease the dosage of
each individual herb, as well as add or remove herbs in the formula. This allows for a more accurate treatment of the patient.
Tinctures
The Santa Cruz Center for Traditional Medicine uses high-potency decoctions from J.R. Laboratories, a small company specializing in Chinese herb formulations. These liquid formulations are water-based
and have a small amount of alcohol as preservative and are safe for use by children and adults. Most patients find these highly concentrated “teas” to be more effective than the same herbs in pill form,
and more convenient than the more typical teas that are not concentrated (the typical dosage is a teaspoon, as opposed to ½ cup of a traditional decoction).
Granule Powders
Granule powders are a modern invention. The herbs are cooked and strained to form a decoction. The decoction then goes through a low heat, high pressure process to extract the water.
What is left over is a highly concentrated granule powder that contains the active components of the herbs. The individual granule powders can then be mixed into a customized formula, just as in a decoction.
After the herbs are mixed, small scoops are mixed with warm water and taken as a tea, 2 to 3 times per day.
The advantage of granule powders is that they are more convenient for people who are always on the go or that do not want to cook the herbs themselves. All you need is some warm water,
and you can have an instant decoction. Granule powders are very potent and are only available to qualified practitioners. Although granule powders are very potent,
they are not quite as potent as the decoctions. Decoctions are more like freshly ground and brewed coffee, whereas the granule powders are like a super high quality instant coffee.
They both get the job done, but one clearly has an edge over the other.
Tablets
Tablets are, of course, the most convenient way to transport an herbal formula. Tablets also have a longer shelf life than uncooked herbs and granule powders. Tablets are commonly used in acute conditions, such as
colds, flu, and minor sports injuries. They are also highly useful as preventative medicine or for long-term maintenance and balancing. Also, some people just prefer tablets, especially if they prefer not to taste the herbs.
How much do the herbal formulas cost?
We use pharmaceutical grade herbal formulas, and a 10-14 day supply generally costs between $15-75. The actual cost will depend on the method (pills/granule powders/decoction), size, and specific herbs
